THE Lake Keepit Sailing Club is determined to not let the region's drought conditions prevent it from hosting events.
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Despite the dam's capacity currently sitting at 0.6 per cent, the club experienced a successful 2019 season, hosting several events.
Highlights of the season include regular sailing sessions for club members and a successful Discover Sailing session, which is aimed at encouraging young people to take up the sport.
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Club vice commodore Ian Pine said everyone was "doing their damnedest" to keep the sport alive in the region.
"We've have had to adapt, there's no doubt about it," Pine told the Independent.
"The shallow water hasn't allowed us to have bigger boats out on the water due to safety reasons.
"However, we have been able to get smaller boats out there and we are just trying to make the best of it.
"Given the circumstances, it's been a really successful start to the season."
Recent rainfall has done little to help the club, after much of the needed rain fell elsewhere.
"All the recent rain really did was make it too muddy for us to get the small boats out last weekend," Pine said.
"We would need a substantial amount of rain around Manilla, or somewhere nearby with good run off, to give us enough water to get the big boats out again.
"However, we will just keep on keeping on because that is what you do in the country."
Pine said the launch of new programs would hopefully attract new blood to the sport.
"Our Discover Sailing session, which we held during the September school holidays, was a great success," he said.
"We are currently planning to host another session in the April school holidays, in the hopes of bringing some younger members in.
"Recently, construction of an upgrade to our clubhouse was completed and is looking fantastic. Despite the drought, things are going pretty well at the moment."
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
